A Foolish Thoughtless Immortal
by E. Darkbow
Summary: Her smile made Hades feel like he would have exploded from shame. Persephone was willing to put up with his faults and apologize for her own; he loved her so much, but he knew she would not take kindly to his affair. One-shot.


Hades hated himself sometimes. This was one of those times. He had let himself act like a mortal again. A foolish thoughtless mortal. He should never act like anyone less than a god.

But he had. And not for the first time.

He looked at the sleeping infant in his arms. The girl's mother had died a day ago, shortly after childbirth.

Hades could sense her spirit floating through his realm, but he forced himself to remain in his palace. It was most foolish for him to go falling for mortals. Extremely foolish. Especially given that he had a beautiful wife: a wife to whom he was devoted, whom he adored, whom he loved despite his hesitancy to show it. He could not love a mortal, even a woman as lovely and charming as Magdalena. He could not condemn an innocent child to the tragic fate of a demigod. But he had.

Hades sighed. He gently placed his daughter in a crib at the foot of his bed. He looked at her peacefully sleeping form and then closed his eyes. This was going to cost him.

Soon, Hades' eyes snapped open and he summoned a skeleton to guard the bedroom. He walked out of the room and through several corridors to the garden. Unsurprisingly, he found Persephone standing there, tending to some of her metallic flowers.

"Good afternoon, my lord," Persephone said stiffly without looking at him.

They had had an argument last week, the worst argument in nearly a century. Hades had become rather irritated with Persephone's complaints about his kingdom and more than several unkind words passed between them. Since then, the two had instinctually avoided each other.

"Good afternoon," Hades replied.

Silence.

"I apologize," Persephone said unexpectedly. "for my behavior; it was most inappropriate for me to act so."

"I accept your apology," Hades said. Then he hesitated before saying, "and I hope you will accept two of mine."

Persephone glanced up at him with her colorful but faded eyes. "Two?"

Hades grit his teeth. "Yes. My behavior was no better than yours that day and for that I apologize."

She smiled. "I forgive you."

Her smile made Hades feel like he would have exploded from shame. Persephone was willing to put up with his faults and apologize for her own; he loved her so much, but he knew she would not take kindly to his affair.

"Whatever else do you want to apologize for?" Persephone asked. She picked up a fallen fruit and examined it.

"Perhaps, I'd better show you," Hades said.

She put the flower down and looked at him cautiously, but with curiosity in her eyes. "Show me?"

Hades walked over to her and linked his arm with hers so that they would walk side by side. So that her eyes couldn't follow him. Then he carefully led her to their bedchamber and braced himself for his wife's fury.

Hades unhooked his arm from Persephone's at the door. He said, "I beg you'll forgive me..."

Persephone looked at him out of the corner of her eye and took a step towards the wooden crib. A flicker of rage crossed her face as she realized what her husband was talking about, but she quickly hid it under a mask of indifference. Although her face was indifferent, her eyes were blazing.

"Who is the mother?" Persephone asked quietly.

"Magdalena Voltolini," Hades answered. "Mortal. She's dead."

Silence. Hades watched her hurt and rage filled eyes. He knew that she knew he was more powerful than her. She wouldn't actually try to hurt him... would she?

"You..." Persephone began. "You told me this wouldn't happen again."

"I'm sorry," Hades replied, tearing his gaze from her eyes. "The months I spend without you are torturous; I can scarcely bear them. I..."

"Do you see me returning to our kingdom pregnant?" Persephone asked, her voice breaking. "Do you ever see me in a serious relationship with anyone but you?"

"...No."

"Do you love her?"

That was the question Hades had been fearing. He automatically avoided it: "She's dead."

Persephone stalked forward and slapped him, tears running from her eyes. "I deserve an honest answer, Hades! Do you love her?"

"I did, I do," he muttered. He desperately wanted to melt into the shadows and shadow travel away.

The Queen of the Underworld stood there, right in front of him, looking up at his dark eyes, but not saying a word.

"Persephone," Hades said. "please-"

The baby in the crib began to cry. Loudly.

With a glare at Hades, Persephone spun around and walked to the side of the crib. She carefully took the infant into her arms and began to sing quietly to her.

"Dear-" Hades started.

Persephone glared at him and he fell silent. Hades would have seen this as a perfect opportunity to leave if only his furious wife was not holding his daughter. A minute later, the baby had miraculously fallen asleep.

Hades walked to Persephone's side as she returned the child to its crib.

"I don't love the mortal half as much as I love you," Hades said quietly. "You know I have loved you from the moment I first saw you; I will love you forever. I beg you to forgive my stupidity."

Persephone sighed and rested her head on Hades' shoulder. "I know. I forgive you; I'll always forgive you."

"Thank you..." he replied. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace.

He felt her arms wrap around his waist.

"But promise me," Persephone said. "you'll always be mine."

"I swear it on the Styx," Hades said.


End file.
